Phonograph



C. W. DANN July 31, 1945.

PHoNoGRAr-n 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed NOV. 7, --194:2

v Snoentor Charles W. D ann Gttorneg QUINDI! July 3l,v 1945. y l c.,w. DANN 2,380,727

' PHOOGRAPH v Filed Nov. '7. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Charles W.. D am oww Gttomeg llat-ented July 31,

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE FHONOGBAPH W. Dann, East Orange. N. es

Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated,

reclaim.

'Ihis invention relates to phonographic machines and more particularly to new and improved` mechanisms for controlling such machines .and safeguarding them against misoperation and misuse.

The invention ha's especial relation to a novel and improved control mechanism for a phonoa graph which is diilerentially responsive to the presence or absence of a mounted record on or from the record support. I have particularly applied my invention to, and do herein describe it in terms of, a mechanism for controlling the styli of a phonographic translating means to prevent the same from being accidentally or inadvertently impinged against the record support. The invention has especial application to phonographs which operate on a'thin. iiexible record disk or blank; since in such phonographs the styll may be impinged against the record support or turntable should the translating means be shifted to operative condition while the turntable. is free of a mounted record. This impinging of the styli against the turntable in response to such a simple inadvertent operation on the machine places the.

styli under imminent danger of damage, particularly in view of the fragile charactel` of the styli and of the usually'hard surface with which the turntable is provided.

This danger of damage to the styli is particularly acute in recording phonographs. For exy ample, recording phonographs of the embossing Should the recorder proper of s uch a machineI be let drop onto the turntable, the accumulated momentum 'acquired by therecorder in response to its biasing will cause the stylus to impinge heavily against 'the turntable and to be very likely broken. While in recording phonographs of the cutting type the stylus pressure is much less and the force with which the stylus may impinge against the turntable is materially reduced, yet there i s here also imminent danger of stylus damage because of the very sharp and fragile cutting edge with which the stylus is provided.

It isan object of my inventionto safeguard phonographs from possible damage o f the lcharacter abovementioned.

fIt is another object of my invention to provide j xnovel and improved restrictive arrangements for phonographs which will and operation.

Sfeguard their use It is another meer tdprovide improved' oon- (Cl. 274-13) A trol mechanismsfor a phonograph. which are differentially responsive to the presence and absenceof a mounted record 'on and from the record support of the phonograph.

It is a further object of my invention to prevent a shifting of a phonographicl translating device into a condition for operation unless a record is held in position for coaction with the device. v

It is another object of my invention to permit control a recorder-reproducer'translating means as to bring each into co-action with a mounted record at substantially the same point.

Still other objects and features of my invention 26 will more fully appear from the following description and the appended claims.

-In the description of my 4invention reference is had to the laccompanying drawings of which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a phonograph s0 according to my invention, showing the parts oi the record-clamping mechanism in the positions A which they occupy when the mechanism is unactuated;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a partially elevational view showing l the' restrictive mechanism of my invention in the operative condition which it assumes when the \recordelamp is unactuated, and as it then appears from line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fractional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the restrictive mechanism in the operative conditionv it assumes when the record clamp is actuated and the turntable is free of a mounted record; v

' Figure 5 isa fractional sectional view similar to Figure 4, but showing the parts of the restrictive mechanism in initial positions winch they assume when the record clamp is actuated and the turntable has a record mounted thereon; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the vparts of the restrictive mechanism in the final positions which they assume when the record clamp is' actuated and the turntable has a record l5 mountedvthereon: and

A still further object of my invention is to so bottom wall of which comprises a ange y3' provided on the upper end of the spindle 3 and held to the turntable by screws 6, there being a central aperture 1 in the turntable down through which the spindle 3 passes.

In positions diametrically opposite of the turn' table, there are upright standards l I provided on the top plate I. Bridging these standards, and held Vthereto by screws I2, is a channeled bar I3 (see Figures 3 and '1). 'I'his channeled bar has a bearing I4 axially-in line with the turntable and supporting a tubular member I5 having a flat cap I5a at the top thereof. On the lower portion of this tubular member there is a dish-shaped clamping member I1. This clampingv member has a short central stem I3 received loosely by the' tubular member I5, and has therein a shallow inverted cup member I8 (held to the clampcarrying a pin 31.

wardly from its pivot axis across the turntable 4, and is moved downwardly into a substantially horizontal position toactuate the record-clamping means. Extending leftwardly from the hub of the handle, through an opening 29 in the channeled bar I3, is an arm 30. This arm is provided With a'rib 3I of which vthe inner surface forms an eccentric cam face 32. Pivoted at 33 to the channeled bar I3 is a lever 34 which overlies the tubular member I5 and' which has an adjustable screw 35 therein abutting against the cap I5a of this member. Depending from this lever at the side of the arm 30 is a side wall 35 It is against this pin that the cam face 32 acts.

When the handle 25 is in a raised position,

ing member by screws IB) which'has a central over-sized aperture receiving the tubular member, there being a flange I9 on the lowerend of the tubular member which is for retaining the clamping member to the member I5. Within lthe tubular member l5 there is a compression spring 20 acting through a plunger and bearing 2| against the stemIG to normally hold the clamping member I1 in a lowermost position relative to the tubular member-which position is determined by the abutment of the member I8 against the ilange I3. When the record clamp is unactuated, 'the clamping member I1 is held raised above the turntable by a compression spring 22 which is interposed between the cap I 5a and the channeled bar I3. When the tubular member is however pressed down against the force of the spring 22, the clamping member I1 the pin contacts the upper portion of the cam face 32 at 'the longer radius and the lever 34 is held raised by the spring 22 acting on the tubular member |5. As the handle is moved downwardly, however, the lower and shorter radially spaced portion of the cam face 32 moves into engagement with the pin 31 to cam the lever 34 downwardly and thus to actuate the recordclamp. In the nal movement of the handle intoits downward position, however, the cam face 32 is moved from the pin 31 and an end surface 38 of the rib 3| is. moved to engage the pin, this surface 38 .having such inclination that the pres- .sure exerted thereagainst by the pin 31 (under inuence of the spring 22) will detent the handle 25m its downward position-the position dened by contact of the arm 30 against the channeled bar I3 at 29 (see Figure '7).

MovabLvmounted on the top plate I to the left of the turntable is a carriage 40 for respective recorder and'reproducer translating units 4I and 42. At the front the carriage has a long leftwardly projecting sleeve 43 mounted slidably on a cross rod 44 that is supported by va pair of standards 45 of the top plate. At the rear the carriage has a caster 46 secured thereto which rides on a smooth fiat portion 41 of the top plate. For holding the rear end of the carriage from being upwardly tilted, the shaft 43 of the caster 45 is projectedl forwardly and a bracket 43 is mounted on the top plate and provided with a enters the'wel15 of the turntable anda rim iiange I1 a of the clamping member comes to bear against the turntable at the edge of the well 5.

'I'he engaging loi the clamping member with the turntable is adapted to centralize and secure a record disk R, to the turntable, which disk is to have a central circular aperture equal substantially in diameter'tothat of the upper part of the inclined portion I1b of the dish-shaped clamping member, it being understood that the centralizing is accomplished by the engsement of this inclined prtion'of the clamping 4member with the central hole of the record disk arid that' tom cylindrical recess 23, and the spindle) \is provided with a short upstanding guide pin 24 which is adapted to enter the recess 23 and above described, there is a handle 25 having. a'

hub 25 (see 'Figure 1) which is pivoted on a cross rod 21'heldin apairof depending lugs 23 of the channeled bar Il. This handle extends right horizontal ledge 49' which overles the projectingy of which the leftward one is threaded through av vertical wall portion 52 of the :carriage and the rightward one is carried by a right-angle arm 53 of the carriage. At its-rearward end the recorder -unit has a stylus 50 depending therefrom for coaction with amounted record disk R. on the turntable 4. Byway of example, the recorder unit and stylus 5I) may be adapted to record on .the record disk R by the embossing method, in

which case the recorder unit will have a sub-'- stantial bias toward the record.

The reproducer unit v42 is also carried at, the

'right of the carriage 4o but is positioned directly behind the recorder unit. This unit, which may also have an oblong shape, is pivotally connected at its rearward end to a rightwardly extending arm 54 of a slide 55 which is mounted by screws 55 to the ,under side of thecarriage for forward and'rearward back and forth movement. The

'pivotal connection of the unit 42 to the arm 54 is made through a pair of axially horizontal pivots 51. These pivots are held to the unit by a U` bracket 58 and engage a block 59 that is centrally pivoted on a vertical axis, vas at,59, to the arm 54. At the front the reproducer unit has a reproducing stylus 60 depending therefrom for coaction with the mounted record disk R.

The translating units 4l and 42 are selectively adjustable'into 'and out of coaction with the record R by means of respective cam mechanisms 62 and 63 (see Figures 1 and 2) which are operated n by shifting the slide 55 relative to the carriage.

The cam mechanism 62 comprises a vertical cam member 64 mounted on the slide 55, and a leftnear thev free end thereof which rides on a cam through the pivoting arse' of me unit to the arm 5 4. This lateral freedom of movement is provided to permit the unit to track freely the l groove convolutions of-a rotating record R. In

order however to centralize the reproducer unit,

' with respect to directions lateral ofthe machine,

face B6 of this cam member. The cam mechanism stead along rearward dwell and a short forward depression 69. When the slide 55 -is in a midposition, the pin 65 engages the inclined portion each time the unit is lifted from the record, the cam follower 68 aforementionedv is provided in the form of ya V-grooved member, as is shown.

It is a feature of the adjusting mechanism above described thatin placingthe' translating units 4| and 42 into contact with a mounted record R there is produced a relative movement between them across the face of the record. This movement is utilized advantageously for the purpose of placing each unit into coaction with the record at substantially the same point. In the present instance, this is accomplished by placing the units end to end and shifting the reproducer unit to a position underneath the recorder unit when the machine is conditioned for reproducing, it being understood that the recorder unit is cammed sufficiently upwardly so as not to obstruct the reproducer unit when it is so shifted.

The drive mechanism for the phonograph may comprise a drive pulley 80 mounted above the top plate I and coupled by a belt 6I, directly to the turntable, there being a face 52 on the of cam face 64 intermediately thereof, and is Y effective to hold the recorder unit raised from the record; at the same time the cam follower 68 engages the dwell of cam face 69 and holds the reproducer unit also raised from the record. When the slide 55 is moved rearwardly from midposition, the cam 64 is moved therewith to place the lower dwell 66" below the pin 65, this dwell being at a sufficiently lo'w level to permit the recorder unit to now engage the record in response to its own weight. Also, as the slide is so moved the cam follower 68 is maintained on the dwell of cam face 69 to yet hold the reproducer unit raised from the record. When, hoy/ever, the slide 55 is moved forwardly the pin 65 is cammed up onto the dwell 616 of cam member 64 to raise the recorder unit to an even higher position than is had when the slide was in mid-position, and the reproducer unit and cam follower 68 are moved forwardly, the reproducer unit to below theI recorder unit and the follower 68 into the depression 69 of cam 61, to permit the reproducer unit to engage the record in response to the downward force of its own weight.

For moving the slide 55 to adjust the translating units relative to a mounted reco-rd R, there is provided av control lever 18. This lever has its hub inset in a recess 1l of the carriage and pivoted on the support rod 44., A coupling of this control lever to the slide 551 is had through a link 12 which is pivotally connected at 13 to a depending arm 14 of the slide and pivotally connected at 15 to a depending arm 16 of the lever. When the control lever is in an upright positionthe posi` tion it occupies in Figure 2-the slide is held in lower rim portion of the turntable with which the belt '8| engages. For concurrently feeding the carriage as the turntable is rotated there may be provided any suitable feed mechanism (not shown) which may be operated, forexample, by the turntable through a shaft 83 and gear train 84. Coupling of this feed mechanism to` the carriage may be had by way of an arm 85 depending from the carriage and passing through lanopening 86 provided in the top plate l.

In phonographs which are to operate on thin record disks it is impractical to so limit the movement of the translating units toward the turntable, as they are shifted into their respective operative conditions, that the styli will not reach the surfaceV` of the turntable should the yturntable be free of a mounted record when the units are so shifted, for the record disk R will typically have a thickness of from only .01" to `015". According to the present invention, how. ever, a possible impinging of the translating units' against the turntable when the units are shifted to operative condition is prevented by the provision of a restrictive or withholding mechanism which permits the translating units the mid-position abovementioned and both translating units then occupy inoperative positions. When the control lever is shifted forwardly into what is herein termed its recording position,

- shifted forwardly to place the reproducer unitv into coaction with the record. I Y

It will be understood that the reproducer unit is provided with a lateral freedom of movement as an incident to securing a mountedv record to the turntable 4-l-that is, to moving the handler 25 downwardly to actuate the record-clamping mechanism-and do herein describe my invention accordingly.

This restrictive mechanism includes a lever operable `to withhold the translating units from being lowered onto the turntable, and hereinafter termed the restrictive lever. AThis is a substantially horizontal lever pivoted at 8| to ,being lowered onto the record lor turntable.

the front part of the channeled bar I3 for up y and down freedom of movement, and having turned-down flanges 93 and 94 at the sides, of which the right flange 93 rests at 95 on the cap |5a of the record-clamping mechanism to support the free rearward end of the restrictive lever. Secured to this free rearward end of the lever is a leftwardly extending stop Ifinger 96, and mounted on the recorder and reproducer units 4| and 42v are respective tabs 91 and '98 of which the tab 81 permanently overlies this stop linger. When the record-clamping mechanism is released or unactuated, the restrictive lever 90 is held raised by the cap |5a and occupies an operative position wherein the stop finger 96is effective to prevent the recorder unit from If the control lever is now shifted to reproducing position in an effort to lower the reproducer unit into coaction ,with the record R, the forward movement received bythe reproducer unit as the control lever is so shifted places the tab 98 above the stop iinger96 and, as a result, the reproducer unit is also withheld by the stop finger from `contact with the record or turntable, it being understood that the tab 91 is raised out of the path of the tab 98 as the control lever is shifted to reproducing position in view of the Whether or not the Arestrictive lever 90 will however be so lowered is, according to my invention, dependent upon the presence or absence of a record disk'R on or from the turntable 4.

The means for so differentially controlling the lowering of the restrictive lever 90 includes a member |00 depending from the left flange 94 of the restrictive lever and terminating in a rearwardly extending cam |0I, this cam having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined cam face |0| along its top edge. While the member |00 has also a forwardly extending arm |02, this arm serves only as an abutment for Contact with a stop pin |03 on the bar I3 whereby to prevent the lever 90 from being accidentally raised above its normal range of movement. Pivoted to the bar I3 at a point below the cam |0|, as at |04, is a'detent lever |05 which is movable into an upright or operative position below a pin |00 provided on the lever 90, to lock the restrictive lever` 90 against downward movement into its inoperative position. When the lever 90 is in the upper.operative position which it occupies when the record clamp is unactuated, the tip of the cam |0| engages a roller |01 provided on the detent lever and holds this lever in a rearwardly inclined or inoperative position-which is the position it occupies in Figure 3.' When the restrictive lever 90 is moved downwardly by its vided with a depending linger |09, which iingermay be hereinafter termed a record detecting .p

` tame.

finger." It a record disk' R is mounted on the turntable this record detecting finger is impinged against the innerv hub portion of the mounted record in response to the initial lowering movement of the restrictive lever 'from its. upper position. and the detent lever is prevented from reaching its operative position, it being stopped in a position back of the pin |06 as is shown in Figure 5.' 'I'he presence ofl a record disk R on the turntable serves thus to render ineffective the detent means forthe restrictive lever and, as a result, the restrictive lever now moves ism is actuated, the detecting finger enters an Y annular groove ||0 provided in the turntable and the detent lever movesv into operative position below the .pin |06 to lock the restrictive lever '90.

in its operative position. This movement of the detent lever will take place in response to the initial lowering movement of the restrictive lever' 90 from its upper position, but the restrictive lever is locked while it is in a yet sufficiently raised position tov be effective to prevent lowering of either translating unit onto the record or turn- The distance between this yet operative position of the restrictive lever `00 and its uppermost position is herein termed the operative range of the restrictive lever, and is the distance between the full line and dash-dot line positions of the stop finger 96 indicated in Figure 4.

When the record-clamping mechanism is released from an actuated condition the restrictive lever 90 is restored to its uppermost position. As the restrictive lever is so restored', the detent lever is cammed back to its rearward inoperative position, by action'of the cam |0|. on the roller |01, and the detent lever is made ready to again perform its differential control function over the restrictive lever 90' when theA recordclamping mechanism is next actuated. l I have herein particularly shown and described my invention in terms of a preferred embodiment v thereof, but it will be understood that I intend no unnecessary limitation of my invention to this embodiment as the same is subject to many changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to express vaccording to the following claims.

I claim:

1.'InA a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a mounted record .to said support, and a record cooperable translating device: the combination of means associated with said translating device and operable to adjust the device into and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record; restrictive means operatively coupled to` said securing means for rendering said adjusting means ineffective, said restrictive means being released by .said securing means for movement to ineffective position when said securing means is actuated; and means operatively coupled to said p restrictive means and operatively associated with Asaid support for controlling the release of the restrictive means according to whether or not a record is mounted onV said support.

the

2. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a mounted record vto said support, and a record cooperable translating device: the combination of adjusting means associated with said translating device and movable into iirst and second positions for placing the device into and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record ,f means operatively coupled to said securing means for withhold- 6. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to .secure a mounted record to said support, and a record-cooperable translating device: the combination of means for adjusting said device into and out of contact with a mounted record; releasable means for rendering said adjusting means ineiective; and means, associating said -releasable means with said securing means and said record support and operated upon actuating said securing means, for differentially controlling the release of the'releasable means according to Whether or not a record and to cause said withholding means to be rey tained in effective position upon actuating said securing means while said support is free of a mounted record.

3. In a phonograph including a'support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, a record cooperable translating device, and means to adjust said device into and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record: the combination of means actuatable to secure a mounted record to said support; restrictive means operatively coupled to said securing means for rendering said adjusting means ineffective, said restrictive means being released by said securing means for movement to ineffective position when saidisecuring means is actuated; and means operatively coupled to said restrictive means and operatively associated with said support for controlling the release of said restrictive means according to Whether or not a record is mounted on said support.

4. In a phonograph including a support onto n and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a mounted record to said support, a record cooperable translating device, and means operable to adjust said device into and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record: the combination of restrictive means operatively coupled to said securing means for rendering said adjusting means ineective, said restrictive means being released by said securing means for movement to ineffective position when said securing means is actuated; and mea-ns, operatively coupled to said restrictive means and operatively associated with said support, for. controlling the release of said .restrictive means according to whether or not av record is mounted on said support.

5. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a mounted record to said support, a record-cooperable translating device, and means to adjust said device into and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record: the combination of restrictive means operable to render said adjusting means effective and ineffective; means for moving said restrictive means into ineiective and effective positions as an incident to actuating and releasing said securing means; and means, operatively associated with said record support and restrict-ion means and responsive to said securing means when said support is free of a mounted record, for locking said restrictive means from movement into ineffective position.

is mounted on said support.

7. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be 'mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a mounted record to said support and a record-cooperable translating device releasable to engage a record on said support: the combination of'means operat'ively associated with said securing means for -withholding vsaid device from engaging the rec-v ord, said withholding means having a range of movement in which it is in eiective condition andhaving an ineffective position, and said withholding means being released by saidA securing means for movement from said effective range into said ineffective position upon actuating said securing means; and means, associated with said record support and withholding means and responsive to the withholding means upon movement of the latter Within said effective range while said support is free of a mounted record. for restricting said withholding means to its effective range.

8. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, a record-cooperable translating device and means for adjusting said device into and out of contact with a mounted record: the combination of a restrictive means movable to ineffective and effective positions for rendering said adjusting means effective and ineiective respectively; and means, associated with said support and said restrictive means and eiective when said support is free of a mounted record, for limiting the restrictive means from movement into an ineiective position. A

9. In a phonograph including a' supporll onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, and a record-cooperable translating device releasable to engage a record mounted on said support: the combination of a movable member for withholding said device from engaging the record; a detent member operatively' coupled with said withholding member for detenting the latter in an eiective position; and means, associated with said detent member and record support and effective when said support is free of a mounted record, for rendering said del tent member effective.

10. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed and a record-cooperable translating device releasable to engage a record on said support: the combination of means for Withholding said device from engaging said record, said withholding means being releasable to ineffective position; means for releasing said withholding means; and means, associated with said record support and withholding means and responsive to release of said Withholding means by said releasing means upon said support being free of a mo'unted record, for restricting the withholding means to an effective position.

11. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a record to said support, a record-cooperable translating device and means to adjust said device into -and out of operative condition in relation to a mounted record: the combination of restrictive means for rendering said adjusting means inefective, said restrictive means having a range of ymovement whreein the same is in effective condition and having an ineffective'position; detent means associated with said restrictive means for locking the latter in its said effective range; means' associated with said detent means for moving the detent means to an effective position in response to-movement of said restrictive means through an initial portion of its effective range; and means, operatively associating said detent means with said record support and effective when a record is mounted on said support, for restricting the detent means to an ineffective position.

12. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, means actuatable to secure a record to said support, a record-cooperable translating device Aand means associated with said device for adjusting it into and out of cooperative relation with a mounted record: the combination of withholding'means operatively associated with said securing means for rendering said adjusting lmeans ineffective, said Withholding means having a range of movement in which it is in effective condition and having an ineective position, and said withholding means being released by said securing means from movement from said eifec` tive range into said ineffective position upon actuating said securing means; a detent member released by said withholding means upon movement; of the latter through a first portion of said eiective range for latching the withholding means in a nal portion of said range; and a record-contacting means associated with said detent means and effective upon a record being mounted-on said support for impinging against said record as said detent member is released whereby to limit the detent member to an ineiective 'position and permit said Withholding means to move to ineffective position upon said securing means being actuated while a record is mounted on said support.

13. The subject matter set forth in claim 12 including means operated by said withholding means upon movement thereof to ineffective position for withdrawing said record-contacting means from contact withsaid record.

14. In a phonograph including a support onto and from which a record may be mounted and removed, a record-cooperable translating device,

.and means associated with said device for adjusting it into and out ofcooperation with a mounted record; the combination of releasable means for rendering said adjusting means ineffective, said releasable means having a range of movement in which it is in effective condition and having an ineffective position; a detent member` associated with said releasable means for latchng the latter in its said effective range; and a record-contacting means associated with said detent mem- CHARLES W. DANN. 

